Variations In Body Mass Indices Among Post-Pubertal Nigerian Subjects With Correlation To Cormic Indices, Mid-Arm Circumferences And Waist Circumferences

Overweight and obesity are the leading nutrition-related disorders of clinical and public health concern. Assessment and classification of these conditions are dependent on specific body mass index (BMI) cut-off points. A study of BMI with correlation to Cormic index (CI, sitting height /stature ratio), mid-arm circumference (MAC), waist circumference (WC) and lower limb length (LLL), was carried out on post-pubertal Nigerian subjects within Ilorin Metropolis. The subjects considered were randomly selected from some of the major converging centres within the metropolis. The height, weight, MAC waist circumference and lower limb length of 400 volunteers (200 males; 200 females) were measured. Their BMIs were calculated from the heights and body weights. The results obtained showed a mean BMI of 21.33 ± 0.328 and 21.83 ± 0.443 for the post-pubertal male and female population respectively. The mean MAC and waist circumference respectively were found to be 27.14 ± 0.380 and 77.80 ± 0.885 for the post-pubertal male population and 26.94 ± 0.376 and 75.44 ± 0.914 for the post-pubertal female population. The values obtained for the correlation coefficient (rXY) of the BMI to MAC and waist circumference were close to +1 for all the groups under study. This implies that there is a significant positive correlation between the BMIs and other parameters considered.